Radio receiver time control



` Nov. 23, 1943. C, GILLS 2,335,114

RADIO RECEIVER TIME CONTROL Filed July 8, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 luren/orAltar/14:1'

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RADIO RECEIVER TIME CONTROL A [to me] NOV. 23, 1943. C` Q GILLS2,335,114

RADIO RECEIVER TIME CONTROL Filed July 8. 1941 6 sheets-sheet .5

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RADIO RECEIVER TIME CONTROL C. C. GILLS Filed July 8. 1941 6Sheets-Sheet 6 A Home)Y Patented Nov. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,335,114 f rImmo RECEIVER TIME CONTROL v Clifford c.v Gills,cleveland, ohio Application .my s, 1941, semina. 401,538 claim.r (01.250--201 My invention relates to improvements in means adapted to beconnected to a radio receiver and operated to select in advance anyfifteen minute period or periods during a span of twelve hours, withregard to several different broadcasting stations, for 'the'operation'of the receiver, and the primary object of my invention is to provide ahighly efficient and relatively simple arrangement of the characterindicated.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparentfrom a reading of the following description taken in connection with theappended drawings, wherein for purposes of Y illustration I have shown apreferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary face or top plan view showingthe dials and selecting knob.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse vertical sectional viewtaken through Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 2along the line 3-3 and looking toward the right in the direction of thearrows. f.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View taken through FigureZand on the line 4--4 looking downwardly in the 'direction of thearrows. l

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom'plan view of the rotatable selectorring.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the grooved station contact annularsupport.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing the annulai1 station contacts.

Figure 8 is a group bottom plan view of the stationary disk and theouter stationary ring showing the radial slots therein for accommodationof the contact bars. f f

Figure 9.is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view takenthrough the annular station contacts .and Yits supporting annulus andshowing' the contactor applied thereto, taken along the line 9-,9 ofFigure 2 and looking vdownwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 10 is alongitudinal vertical sectiona View takenV through theclock'hand assembly.,

Figure 11 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections betweenthe variouscomponents of the device. l

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designatesa suitable casing, either Va portion of theradio receiver.;abine t or aseparate enclosure having thefront or top `wall 6 formed with asubstantially circularopening 1 which is ,seatedJ arotatablefsdector.,ring i I3r which has at its inner edge a groovesresulting in a retaining shoulder bearing against vthe inner side of thecrystal I0.

The crystal IU which is formed of suitable transparent material has aninwardly projecting annular rib II adjacent itsl outer edge and againstwhich the inner edge of the rotatable ring 8 bears, the rib II seatingin an annular groove I2 inthe base of the plastic or other suitablematerial disk I3 Awhich includes an annular groove or'channel I4adjacent its outer edge which defines a stationary ring I5 vengaging theback of the front wall Vli.

The stationary ring I5 and the disk I3 have matching radial groovesV IIon'the rear thereof, while the front of thedisk I3 has a circularcentralized recess I'I.

Engaged with the back of the disk I3 and the back of the ring I5 istheannular support I8 which is formed in its frontface with circulargrooves I9 seating the annular station contacts 20 flush.

Circular clock Supporting plate 2I is secured to the -back of theannular support I8 by means of circumferentially spaced brackets 22which project forwardly through an opening 23 formed in a support wall24 which is parallely spaced from the front wall l` to support the partsdescribed.

Journaled through the rotatable ring 8j is the shaft 25 of the operatingknob 26, the said shaft having a pinion'21 ongits inner end forengagement with the racksof the contact bars to be described. A helicalspring 2B is circumposed on the shaft 25 between the knob 26 and theringv Bso thatwhen the knob is pushed in to engagey the pinion 2l withone of the racks and then released the spring 28 will withdraw thepinion from engagement with the rack and restore the knob to thevinoperative position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. I n thisposition the knob may be grasped and pushed so as to rotate the ring 8to select the particular fteenminute period-for which broadcasting ispre-selected. l

Slidablein the grooves I6 in the back of the disk I3 and stationary ringI5 are forty-eight selector bars 30 of similar construction andarrangemenhthe same being provided on one edge with rack teeth 3l shownin Figure 3 of the drawings so that when the pinion 2l is engagedtherewith and the knob 26 rotated the bars 30are adjusted radially withrespect to the annular station contacts 20, each contact bar having a neleaf spring 32 mounted in an accommodating recess in the back of the baras indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, with a prominence arranged toengage electrically only one of the annular station contacts inaccordance with the position of the particular rack bar.

Thus to select the quarter hour period for broadcasting from aparticular station, the operator grasps the knob 26 and swings therotatable ring 8 'around until the knob aligns with the particular hourand quarter hour marked as indicated by the numeral 33 on the outerportion of the face of the disk I3, presses the knob in to engage thepinion 21 with the corresponding rackV bar 30, then rotates the knob 26in the proper .dir-v rection to cause the prominence on the-leaf springY32 to engage the one of the annular-station contacts 20 corresponding tothe lclroadcasting'sta-v annular station contact 20 is checked by notingthe alignment of the end of the selector bar, as seen through thetransparent disk |3, with the proper one of the station designatingcircles I3 marked on the disk I3.

An ordinary electric clock mechanism generally designated 35 is mountedto the back `of the supporting plate 2| and has the tubular hour handshaft 36. The rotatable tube 36 is extended forwardly through the clockmechanisml and through the disk I3 into the circular depression l1.shown in Figure 10 of the drawings the tube 36 has rotatablymountedtherein the additional tube 39 which carries the minute handV 46,the hour hand 4I being mo-unted directly on the tube 36.

The shaft 42 which is journaled within the shaft 39 carries thestationary indicating pointer 43 in front of the disk I3 and has itsopposite end operatively connected to the pulley 31 over which istrained the belt 38 which is also trained over a pulley on the turningcondenser (not shown) of the radio receiver.

For manually operating the shaft 36 a suitable gear arrangement withinthe clock housing is operatively connected to the shaft 36, the samehaving a shaft extension 44 to a right angle transmission geararrangement 45 to an operating knob 4G mounted through the walls 24 and6as shown in Figure 2 of the. drawings. The shaftexten.- sion 42 has aratchet wheel 44 thereon, with which is engaged a at spring dog 45. toprevent reverse rotation of the shaft 44. f

Mounted on the exterior tube 36, which makes one revolution to eachtwelve hours, is the contactor which is generally designated 41. Thecontacter 41 is arranged so that it sweeps across the exposed portionsof the selector bars 39 within the opening in the annular support I8,`in such a way that its spring contact nger 48 remains on each of theselector bars 3D lfor a full fifteen minute period and then snaps ontothe next adjacent bar. The contacter 41 comprises a hubportion 49circumposed on and secured tothe outer tube 36 from which radiates athreaded tubular portion 56 in which is mounted a longitudinallyadjustable screw 5I which is adjustable, to tension the helical spring52 which is circumposed on the rotatable rod 53- fromv which the' springcontact 4B radially projects, the'outer terminal of the spring 52 beingwrapped as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings around-the shank ofthecontactor 48 in a manner to force the contactor yieldably intoengagement with the station contact bars 30.

A suitable transformer 55 is mounted on the side wall of the enclosure 5above the horizontal' connected by the wire 61 with the point 62.

partition 56 as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The hand switch 51 is mounted on the back of the front wall below theopening 23.

On the horizontal partitio-n 56 are mounted in a row the trimmercondensers A, B, C and D and in iront of these in a row are four relaysa, b, c, and d, and in front of these the relay e.

Referring now to Figure 1l showing the electrical connections, thedevice is intended to operate on a 110 volt supply line including thelines 58 and 59 which are connected directly with the clock motor 35 sothat the clock constantly operates. The double-pole, double-throw switch51 includes the points 60 and 6| and 62 and 63, with the Vrespectivearms of the switch connected at 64 and 65 with the lines 58 and 59,respectively.

-Thewire 66 leads from the point 6U to one side oithev relay e, with theopposite side of this relay The point 62 is also connected by the wire68 with the primary of the transformer 55, the remaining end ofthewinding of the transformer being connected by the wire 69 with theswitch point 63. The switch point 6I is also connected as indicatedbythe numeral 10 with the corresponding arm of the switch 51, which inturn is connected to the point by the jumper designated by thenumeral1l. The wire 12 leads from the point 6| to one side ,of the radioreceiver (not shown). The Wire 6.6 has a lead going to the remainingside of the radio receiver.

As shown the contact bars 30 have their spring ngers 32 engaged with oneofv the station annular contact 20, four of which are connected to oneend of the corresponding relays a, b, c, and d, with the innermostcontact 20 arranged for connection to an eXtra relay (not shown).

The relays a, b, c, and d have their pairs of contacts connected to theterminals of the trimmer condensers A, B, C, and D, respectively, withthe trimmer condensers appropriately connected by the wires 12 and 13with the radio receiver (not shown), p

The clock motor support plate 2l is connected bythe wire 14 with one endof the winding of the relay e, whereby the current is carried throughthe sweeping contacter 41 to the contact bars 30 and through them to the-corresponding ones of the station contacts 2U.

It will be obvious that when the switch 51 is turned in one way theradio receiver is connected directly to the volt line and that when theswitch is turned in the opposite position it energizes the transformer55. It will be obvious that when any one of the station contacts 26 isenergized in the manner indicated, current passes to the magnet oftherelay in circuit therewith and then the operation of this relay cuts inthe corresponding trimmer condenser into the radio cir- .cuit so as toeffect the desired reception of the selected station for the selectedperiod of time.

Although I `have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be denitely understood that I do not wish" to limitthe application of. the invention thereto, except asmay be required bythe scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

l. A time and station selector for a-radio broadcasting receiver, saidselector comprising aV support, a clock on said support having an hourhand shaft,l a clock dial, a plurality ofcontact bars spacedfrom eachother at the desiredtime interinvention, what is vals with reference to`said clock dial, a Asweepcontactor operated by said hour hand shaft toelectrically engage with portions of said contact bars as the sweepcontactor moves coordinately with said hour hand shaft, a plurality ofinsulated station contact strips on said support, a contact fingerstationarily fixed on each of said contact bars for engagement with aselected one of said station contact strips at a time, and operatingmeans for selectively operating a selected one of said contact bars at atime to engage its contact finger with-the contact strip correspondingto the station selected, said operating means comprising a carriermounted on said support for movement relative to said clock dial, and anoperating element carried by said carrier, said operating element beingmovable relative to the carrier to operatively engage the contact stripselected by adjustment of said carrier relative to said clock dial, andmeans for adjusting said carrier relative to said clock dial.

2. A time and station selector for a radio broadcasting receiver, saidselector comprising a support, a clock on said support having an hourhand shaft, a plurality of contact bars spaced from each other at thedesired time intervals, a sweep contactor operated by said hour handshaft to electrically engage with portions of said contact bars as thesweep contactor moves coordinately with said hour hand shaft, aplurality of .station contact strips, a contact finger on each yof saidcontact bars for engagement with one of said station contact strips at atime, and operating means for selectively operating a selected one v-ofsaid contact bars at a time to engage its contact finger with thecontact strip corresponding to the station selected, said operatingmeans comprising a movable carrier mounted on said support, a pinionequipped rotary knob thereon, said knob and pinion being axially movablelfrom an :inoperative position, said carrier being movable ,on saidsupport to select the contact bar corre- :spending to the beginning ofthe quarter hour broadcasting period to be predetermined, said contactbars having rack teeth engageable by said pinion in the operativeposition of the knob, whereby the selected contact bar may be moved toengage its contact finger with the station contact strip correspondingto the station selected .to be received.

3. A time and station selector for a radio broadcasting receiver, saidselector comprising a support, a clock on said support having an hourhand shaft, a plurality of radially arranged contact bars spacedcircumferentially from each other at the desired time intervals, a sweepcontactor operated by said hour hand shaft to electrically engage withportions of said contact bars as the sweep contactor turns with saidhour hand shaft, a plurality of concentric station contact annuliarranged around said hour hand shaft, a contact finger on each of saidradial contact bars for engagement with one of said station contactannuli at a time, and means for selectively operating a selected one ofsaid radial contact bars at a time to engage its contact finger with thecontact annulus -corresponding to the station selected, said meanscomprising a rotatable element concentric with said hour hand shaft, apinion equipped rotary knob thereon, said knob and pinion being axiallydepressible from an inoperative position, said rotatable element beingrotatable to select the radial contact bar corresponding to thebeginning of the quarter hour broadcasting period to be predetermined,said .radial contact bars having rack teeth engageable by said pinion inthe depressed position of the knob, whereby the radial contact bar maybe yradially moved to engage its contact finger with the annular stationcontact corresponding to the lStation selected to be received, and anenergized lcircuit including the operatitng circuit of the radioreceiver, said circuit including relays related to the individualstation contact annuli and vtrimmer condensers controlled by the relays,

whereby the operating circuit of the receiver is inoperative exceptduring the periods selected and with respect to the selected station.

4. A time and station selector for a radio broadcast receiver, saidselector comprising a support, a clock on said support having an hourhand shaft, a radial sweep contactor mounted on said hour hand shaft, aclock dial surrounding said hour hand shaft, a plurality of insulatedradially arranged and radially adjustable contact bars mounted on saidsupport around said hour hand shaft and with any of which said sweepcontactor can engage, said contact bars being circumferentially spacedat time intervals corresponding to divisions of time on said clock dial,a plurality of radially spaced station selecting contact ringssurrounding and spaced from said hour hand shaft, a contact finger fixedon each of said contact bars for selective engagement with any one ofsaid station selecting contact rings at a time by corresponding movementof the contact bars, and operating means on said support for operatingselected contact bars, thereby determining the station and the beginningand ending for a desired period of broadcasting, said operating meanscomprising rack portions on said radially adjustable contact bars, arotary carrier mounted concentrically with respect to said hour handshaft, a manually rotatable handle carried by said carrier enabling thecarrier to be rotated to a selected time position with reference to theclock dial wherein said handle is aligned with respect to thecorresponding one of the radial contact bars, said rotatable handlebeing axially movable, said handle comprising a pinion arranged to bemeshed with the rack portion of the said corresponding radial contactbar to adjust the latter with respect to said station contact rings uponmoving the handle axially from a retracted to an operative positionfollowed by rotation of the handle in the proper direction.

5. A time and station selector for a radio broadcast receiver, saidselector comprising a support, a clock on said support having an hourhand shaft, a radial sweep contactor mounted on said hour hand shaft, aclock dial surrounding said hour hand shaft, a plurality of insulatedradially arranged and radially adjustable contact bars mounted on saidsupport around said hour` hand shaft and with any of which said sweepcontactor can engage, said contact bars being circumferentially spacedat time intervals corresponding to divisions of time on said clock dial,a plurality of radially spaced station selecting contact ringssurrounding and spaced from said hour hand shaft, a contact finger fixedon each of said contact bars for selective engagement with any one ofsaid station selecting contact rings at a time by corresponding movementof the contact bars, and operating means on said support for operatingselected contact bars, thereby determining the station and the beginningand ending for a, desired period of broadcasting, said operating meanscomprising rack portions on said radially adjustable contact bars, arotary carrier mounted concentrically with respect to said hour handshaft, a manually rotatable handle carried by p said carrier enablingthe carrier to be rotated to a selected time position with reference tothe clock dial wherein said handle is aligned with respect to thecorresponding one of the radial ,Contact bars, said rotatable handlebeing axially movable, said handle Comprising a pinion arranged to' bemeshed with the rack portion of the said vcorresponding radial eontactbar to adjust the latter with respect to said station Contact rings'upon moving the handle axially from a ren tracte'd 'to an operativeposition followed by rotationof'the handle in-the proper direction, saidcarrier comprising an annulus mounted on said support,` with-said handlejournaled on said annulus.

CLIFFORD c. GILLS.

